


Outtakes for Devastation and Healing

by Jrob64



Series: Devastation and Healing [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-07 08:14:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,672
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26470021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jrob64/pseuds/Jrob64
Summary: This is where I will post any outtakes that I write for Devastation and Healing. It may be one or many, depending on how inspiration hits me.
Relationships: Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan
Series: Devastation and Healing [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924348
Comments: 37
Kudos: 41





	1. Outtake #1

**Author's Note:**

> This scene fits into Chapter 19 after Killian says "Sleep then, Love. Sweet dreams."  
> Thanks to Saj for the prompt!

*********

Emma had just drifted back to sleep after taking her pain medication, when she suddenly bolted straight up in bed. The pain evoked by the movement caused her to gasp and clutch her sore ribs. When she looked to her right, she saw the bed beside her was empty.

“Killian!” she squeaked, unable to call out because of the sharp ache. She waited for a few seconds, which seemed like an eternity. 

After he’d made sure that Emma was sound asleep, Killian had gotten out of bed to use the bathroom and get a fresh bottle of water to set on her nightstand. When he returned to the bedroom, however, he saw his girlfriend sitting up in bed with her eyes wide and frantic, gripping her side and struggling to catch her breath. 

He rushed over and sat down beside her. “Sweetheart, what is it? What happened?” 

“I heard a noise and you weren’t here, and I was afraid that…that she…”

“I’m sorry, Love. I thought you were asleep, but it’s okay. You’re safe. I’m right here.”

“But the noise…”

“It was probably just me that you heard. I was in the bathroom and the kitchen.”

“No, it wasn’t you! There was a noise! It sounded like…like a loud thud. Like someone hit the wall! I think someone is in the house!”

“Wait here. I’ll go see what the noise was,” Killian told her, kissing her lightly on the forehead. 

He went into the living room and turned on the lights. After making sure that everything was in its place, he continued to check throughout the rest of the house. 

When he reached the spare bedroom where he’d placed his overnight bag, he saw that it had fallen off the bed. He figured that when he’d taken out his pajamas and toothbrush, he’d probably placed it haphazardly and gravity had done the rest. He picked it up and put it in the center of the bed where it had no chance of accidentally falling off. 

He hurried back to Emma’s room to find her still frozen in the same position as she was when he left. 

“It was just my duffel bag, Sweetheart - it fell off the bed. I checked the whole house. All the doors are locked and everything is where it belongs.”

He crawled back into bed and began to rub her right shoulder. She melted against him and he could feel the tension draining out of her body. He eased her into a prone position, and adjusted the pillows until she was comfortable. 

“Thank you, Killian. I love you,” she mumbled, the pain medication and draining adrenaline taking effect.

“I love you too, Emma, and I’ll make sure that you’re safe. Always.”

*********


	2. Outtake #2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Killian and Emma share their first dance as husband & wife.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Outtake was inspired by a playlist for Devastation and Healing which was compiled by the lovely CSColifer. One song in particular seemed perfect for Killian & Emma's first dance, and the other song is one that I've added because I've always imagined Killian singing it to his bride.

*********

The small reception following the wedding was held outside in the large yard beside Marco’s barn. The weather had turned out to be warm and beautiful, and tables had been set up under various colored canopies, which gave the yard a festive look. A meal was served and the wedding party and guests enjoyed mingling and chatting with each other for a while afterwards. Then it was time for the dancing to begin.

As part of their wedding gift to the couple, Emma’s father, August, and Claire had worked two full weekends to clean out the huge barn, and spent another day decorating it with streamers and numerous bouquets of fresh flowers. A platform had been set up for the DJ, who provided a portable dance floor to cover the concrete area in front of where he would be playing the music. 

When the DJ announced it was time for the newly married couple’s first dance, Killian took his wife’s hand and escorted her to the center of the floor. She looped her arms around his neck while he pulled her close. 

They had chosen the song “Unbreakable” by Regine Velasquez for their special dance together. The lyrics seemed to chronicle a lot of their relationship from the beginning to where they were now. So many things had happened that could have kept them from being together - insecurities, misunderstandings, physical injuries and emotional trauma - but they had persevered and come out on the other side together, stronger than ever. 

_Sticks and stones may break our bones_

_But our bond won’t be broken_

_We’ll overcome and it’s just begun_

_Forgive whatever happened_

_Look how far we’ve come_

_Battles we have won_

_You and I are unbreakable_

It wasn’t lost on their guests just how poignant these words were to the couple who was currently wrapped in their cocoon of love, swaying to the music as they looked into each other’s eyes. 

_We’re gonna make it right this time (but our bond won’t be broken)_

_It won’t be easy to forget the past_

_I won’t look back (we can’t look back)_

_‘Cause our love is unbreakable_

_You and I are unbreakable_

As the end of the song drew near, Killian used his thumb to swipe away a tear from Emma’s cheek. “Happy tears, I hope, my love?”

“Happy can’t _begin_ to describe my feelings, Killian. My heart is so full today! I get to marry my best friend, with my family and all of our friends surrounding us. It’s more than I could’ve ever possibly dreamed!”

His answering smile was the one that never failed to make her heart skip a beat or two. Sometimes she had to remind herself that someone as handsome as her husband truly _did_ exist. Seeing him in a tux just added to her opinion that he was the most gorgeous man alive. 

“I know exactly what you mean, Love. I’ve never known such happiness in my entire life as what I have with you, and with our life together. Every day I wake up more in love with you than I was the day before, which should be impossible, but apparently it’s not! I can hardly wait to see what our future holds.” 

Neither of them noticed that the song had come to an end, until a new one began. This one was Killian’s choice, which he’d selected as a surprise for his bride. As the first few notes of Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” started to play, he tightened his grip around her waist and pressed his cheek against hers, singing so that only she could hear. 

_I found a love for me_

_Darling, just dive right in_

_And follow my lead_

_Well, I found a girl, beautiful and sweet_

_I never knew you were the someone waiting for me_

This time, his thumb wouldn’t have been nearly enough to catch all the tears that were falling down her face. His voice in her ear as he sang the meaningful lyrics had her feeling as though her heart really _would_ burst. 

_Well, I found a woman, stronger than anyone I know_

_She shares my dreams, I hope that someday I’ll share her home_

_I found a love, to carry more than just my secrets_

_To carry love, to carry children of our own_

She could imagine having children with this man that she loved, even though she’d always questioned whether she would make a good mother or not. He had helped quash those doubts, just as she knew she had done for him. 

_Baby, I’m dancing in the dark, with you between my arms_

_Barefoot on the grass, listenin’ to our favorite song_

_When I saw you in that dress, looking so beautiful_

_I don’t deserve this, Darling, you look perfect tonight_

He pulled back to look at her. “Have I told you just how beautiful you look today, my love?” he interrupted his singing to ask. “You’re absolutely _stunning_.”

She gave him a watery smile as she nodded slightly and blushed, then kissed him sweetly before he finished singing the rest of the song to her. 

_I have faith in what I see_

_Now I know I have met an angel in person_

_And she looks perfect_

_No, I don’t deserve this_

_You look perfect tonight_

“You _do_ deserve it, Killian. You deserve all the happiness in the world.”

“And I’ve found it with you, Mrs. Jones.”

*********

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are from "Unbreakable" by Regine Velasquez and "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran.


	3. Outtake #3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Scenes from the night before the wedding, Emma & Marco share their father/daughter dance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clearly I can't walk away from this story while my beta Mary and I still have ideas for outtakes!

*********

Emma kissed Killian goodbye and watched him drive away. Her fiance was staying at August and Claire’s house for the night in order to honor the tradition of not seeing the bride before the wedding ceremony the next day. 

She entered the house with a frown on her face, which her father noticed as he came out of the kitchen.

“What is bothering you, Cygnet?” Marco asked.

“I miss him already. We haven’t spent a night away from each other since he came to stay with me after I got out of the hospital.”

Marco grasped both of his daughter’s upper arms and pulled her toward him to kiss her on the forehead. “‘Tis only for one night. Then, God willing, you will be together every night for the rest of your lives.”

Emma gave him a weak smile. “I know, but between not having him beside me, and being nervous about tomorrow, I don’t think I’m going to get much sleep.”

“Try not to worry about tomorrow. It is going to be a beautiful and meaningful day. When I married your mother, it was cold, rainy, and very windy, but it was one of the most wonderful days of my life! Your sweet mother was such a vision, and I’ll never forget how my heart pounded as she was walking down the aisle toward me.” 

Emma’s eyes welled with tears. “I wish she could be here, Dad. Even as happy as I know the day will be, I’ll miss her being a part of it.”

Her father studied her face for a few moments, then summoned her to follow him. “Come with me, dear girl.” 

She ascended the stairs a couple of steps behind him and they entered his bedroom. He motioned for her to sit down, and began to rummage through the cedar chest at the foot of his bed. Soon he straightened up, holding a box in each hand. Setting the smaller one on the bed beside his daughter, he carefully lifted the lid on the flat, square box that he still held. 

Emma leaned forward to peek inside, and saw a thin, ornate band which was studded with clear rhinestones and pearls. 

“This is what Penny wore on the day of our wedding,” her father explained, pulling it out of the box. “When she realized that she wouldn’t be alive to see her only daughter get married, she asked me to find this in the attic. Her intention was to have you wear the same veil that she did, which was attached to this band, but unfortunately, we hadn’t stored it as carefully as we should have. The veil itself was yellowed and brittle, so we had to remove it.”

Emma reached out and took the treasured head piece from her father’s weathered hands, handling it with gentleness and love. She lightly traced the pearls with her fingers as she heard her father continue to speak. 

“She wanted me to give it to you the night before your wedding, along with this note.” He reached back into the box and removed a piece of stationery, which he handed to Emma.

Unfolding the aged paper carefully, Emma’s breath caught when she recognized the familiar script of her mother, even though it was clearly written with a shaky hand. 

_My darling Emma,_

_I wish that I could be there for your wedding day. I trust you are marrying_

_the love of your life, and that he is a good man, for you deserve only the_

_best!_

_Words cannot express how much I love you, and how thankful I am_

_to call you my daughter. From the moment you became part of our_

_family, you filled an empty place in my heart that I never even knew_

_existed. I had always longed for a daughter, and was lucky enough_

_to be able to choose the perfect one._

_Even though I can’t physically attend your special day, please know_

_that I will be there with you in spirit. I’ve asked your father to give you_

_this gift as a reminder of that. I know it will look lovely in your hair,_

_and that you will be the most beautiful bride ever. I promise that I_

_will be looking down on you with so much love and pride._

_I wish you every happiness, my sweet girl._

_All my love,_

_Mom_

Emma hastily wiped her eyes so her tears wouldn’t drip onto the paper and mar it. After several long moments, she finally looked up at her father, who also had a tear trickling down his cheek. 

“Thank you, Dad,” she forced out past the lump in her throat. “This...this is the most priceless gift I could ever receive.”

“She loved you so very, very much, as do I,” he whispered. He cleared his throat, then added, “That will be your ‘something old’, and this,” he picked up the smaller box, “can be your ‘something new’, if you wish.”

Emma raised the lid of the blue velvet jewelry box, and saw a beautiful, sparkling bracelet. In the middle of the band was a side view of a swan with an inset marquis-shaped diamond wing. The remainder of the bracelet setting consisted of a series of diamond encrusted leaves, alternating up and down, all the way around to the clasp.

  
  


“I wanted to give you something unique and special for your wedding day, so I had this designed and made for you by a jeweler,” Marco explained. “Remember that even though your name will be Jones after tomorrow, you will _always_ be a Swan - my precious daughter.” 

This time, Emma couldn’t get the words she wanted to say to come out of her mouth. Instead, she stood up and hugged her father tightly. He wrapped his arms around her and felt her tears soaking through the fabric of his shirt. After a few minutes, he heard her softly whisper, “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, Cygnet,” he replied, as he wept silent tears.

*********

“Killian, it’s your turn...again,” August said, nudging his soon-to-be brother-in-law. 

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Killian replied, turning his attention back to the game of dominoes he was playing with August and Claire. It wasn’t the first reminder he’d had to be given, as his mind kept wandering to his wedding the next day.

“You’re not having second thoughts about marrying my sister, are you?” August asked teasingly. 

“Quite the opposite, in fact. They are all about how I can’t wait for her to become my wife.”

“It’s going to be a beautiful wedding,” Claire commented. “They’re calling for perfect weather, and the two of you have planned everything so wonderfully.”

“With a lot of help from family and friends! Emma and I are so appreciative of all the work that you two and Marco have put into preparing the yard and barn.”

“We were happy to do it, Killian,” Claire assured him. “We wanted to help make your day perfect.”

“I suppose it’s my duty to give you the big brother speech now. You know, the one that says ‘If you hurt my sister, I’ll hunt you down and make you pay!’” August grinned. 

“You can save your breath, Aug. You know I’d never hurt her.”

August grew serious. “I know you wouldn’t, Killian. I have no doubt about how much you love her, and how happy you make her.” He reached over and clapped his friend on the shoulder. 

Killian swallowed down his emotions. “Thanks, mate.”

“Do you want to keep playing, or would you rather put the game away?” Claire asked.

Killian looked at the clock and saw that it was only 8:30 pm. He sighed and said, “Let’s keep playing. I need something to keep me occupied.”

“Nerves getting the best of you?” asked August. 

“Just anxious, I guess. Time isn’t moving fast enough tonight.”

“Aren’t you enjoying our company?” August joked. 

Killian chuckled. “Of course I am, but to be honest, I’d rather be spending the evening with your sister.”

“After tomorrow, you’ll be stuck with her for the rest of your life. Might as well enjoy your last night of freedom!”

“I’ll be the happiest man alive to be ‘stuck’ with her, and I don’t consider this to be freedom. I feel incomplete when I’m not with her.”

“Ugh! Enough with the mushiness already!” August complained.

“Hey! You started it!”

“Boys, boys!” Claire interjected. “Behave, August, and give the man a break. Anybody can see that he’s completely besotted. I think it’s very sweet!”

August rolled his eyes, but grinned at his friend. “Fine, I’ll let it slide for now! Maybe we need to play a different game. How about Clue?”

*********

Emma had been tossing and turning in bed for over fifteen minutes. When she heard her phone begin to buzz on the nightstand and saw the name displayed on the screen, she smiled.

“Hey, Babe.”

“Hello, Beautiful. I didn’t wake you, did I?”

“No, I’m not having much luck getting to sleep. I miss you.”

“I miss you too, Love. I’ve gotten far too used to having you in my arms when I go to sleep at night. I hope I’m not breaking any rules by calling you, but I just had to hear your voice.”

“The tradition is not _seeing_ the bride. I don’t think it says anything about not _talking_ to her. Did you have a good evening with Auggie and Claire?”

“Yes I did. We played some games, although I have to confess I wasn’t very focused on them. I hope you and your father enjoyed your time together.”

There was a long pause before Emma answered, and when she did, Killian could tell that she was struggling to hold her emotions in check. 

“He, um, he gave me two things to wear tomorrow. One was…” she took a deep, wavering breath, “One was from...my mom.” 

When he heard her voice crack on the last word, it was all Killian could do not to jump in his car and drive to Marco’s house to be with her. 

“Oh, Sweetheart…”

“No, it’s okay,” she sniffled. “It’s really special. She knew that...that she wouldn’t be able to see me get married, so she told Dad to give me the head piece from her wedding veil, and she…” Emma took another shaky breath. “She wrote a note for me. It was like hearing her speaking to me again. I’ve missed our talks _so much_.”

Killian swallowed thickly. All he wanted to do in that moment was hold his fiancee in his arms.

After several moments, Emma continued. “Dad had a bracelet designed and made for me. I can’t wait to show it to you. It’s beautiful!”

“I can’t wait to see it, Love. I’m sure it’s beautiful, but I’m confident that nothing will compare to _your_ beauty tomorrow.”

“Oh, really? What if I show up in a clown costume?” she giggled. 

Killian was glad to hear that sound, after the emotions she’d just battled through. 

“Well, my dear, I’m afraid that would be a deal-breaker. I am _terrified_ of clowns!”

Emma burst into laughter, then said, “That’s a good piece of information to know!”

“It better not come back to haunt me, Swan!”

She laughed again, and Killian smiled. Over the line, he heard a soft whine. 

“Evie misses you too. I’m letting her sleep in bed with me tonight,” Emma explained. 

“Don’t let her get too used to it. That spot is mine for good, beginning tomorrow night!”

Emma sighed. “I can hardly wait, Killian. I am more than ready to be your wife.”

“I know. I just keep thinking that by this time tomorrow, we’ll be married. I will never understand how someone like me could be so incredibly blessed to be spending my life with you.”

“What do you mean by ‘someone like you’? Killian, you are the most wonderful person I’ve ever known! You fill my life with so much happiness, laughter, joy and love. I feel overwhelmingly fortunate that you came into my life.” 

“I love you, Emma. You’ve brought light into the darkness of my life, and what was once a bleak future for me is now full of promise and hope.”

“I love you too, Killian, and you’ve done the same for me. There’s no doubt in my mind that we’re meant to be together.” 

“I feel like we just said our vows. Perhaps tomorrow, all we’ll have to say is ‘I do’!”

“That would be the shortest wedding ever! I think we better have the entire ceremony, or we’re going to have some very disappointed guests.”

Killian chuckled. “Aye, Love. I’m looking forward to every minute of it.”

“Mmmm, so am I.”

When he heard her hum, he knew that she was getting close to falling asleep. It was always a telltale sign when they laid in bed talking every night. 

“You sound sleepy, Sweetheart. I’d better let you go.”

“Don’t, Killian. Don’t ever let me go,” she murmured.

“I won’t, my love, but I _will_ say goodnight. I’ll be waiting for you tomorrow afternoon under the arbor.”

“I’ll meet you there, Babe. Goodnight.”

*********

The ceremony the next day was absolutely beautiful, and a dream come true for Emma. After she finished having the first dance at the reception with her new husband, it was time for the traditional father-daughter dance. 

Emma had searched diligently for the perfect song to share with her father. She knew it would be difficult to find one that conveyed her appreciation and love to him for giving her the family she longed for most of her childhood. 

She’d finally selected “Because You Loved Me” by Celine Dion. She felt that the lyrics were very meaningful for their relationship. 

When the song began, Marco took his daughter’s hand, placed his arm around her waist, and the two began to move across the makeshift dance floor. 

“Listen to the words, Dad,” she told him. “They do a pretty good job of expressing what you mean to me.” He nodded, and as the song played, tears slid down his wrinkled cheeks. 

_You gave me wings and made me fly_

_You touched my hand, I could touch the sky_

_I lost my faith, you gave it back to me_

_You said no star was out of reach_

_You stood by me and I stood tall_

_I had your love, I had it all_

_I’m grateful for each day you gave me_

_Maybe I don’t know that much_

_But I know this much is true_

_I was blessed because I was loved by you_

_You were my strength when I was weak_

_You were my voice when I couldn’t speak_

_You were my eyes when I couldn’t see_

_You saw the best there was in me_

_Lifted me up when I couldn’t reach_

_You gave me faith ‘cause you believed_

_I’m everything I am_

_Because you loved me_

_You were always there for me_

_The tender wind that carried me_

_A light in the dark shining your love into my life_

_You’ve been my inspiration_

_Through the lies you were the truth_

_My world is a better place because of you_

As the song ended, Emma embraced her father affectionately. “I love you, Dad. If it weren’t for you and mom, I don’t know what would have happened to me.”

“You are a strong girl, and you would have overcome your circumstances somehow, but your mother and I were proud and honored to welcome you into our family. You have always been a blessing to us, and I am so very happy that you found your wonderful young man.” 

He turned and gestured for Killian to join them, which he did, immediately taking Emma’s hand as he did so. Marco wrapped his hands around their interlocked ones and said, “I love you both, and my wish is that you will be as happy together as Penny and I were throughout our marriage. Love and support one another. Fight for each other every day. Be kind, understanding, and forgiving, and always remember the promises that you made here today.”

“We will, Dad,” they replied in unison.

With that, Marco smiled, kissed his daughter on the cheek, and left her and his new son-in-law to share another dance.

*********

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics from "Because You Loved Me" by Celine Dion.
> 
> The image of the bracelet Marco gave Emma can be found on the Tumblr post, since I couldn't get the link to work on here. 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	4. Outtake #4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David performs his best man duties.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a short, little outtake told from David's POV.

*********

David watched with pride as his wife proceeded down the stone walkway toward the arbor where he stood as Killian’s best man. He couldn’t help the smile that stretched from ear to ear as he thought back a few years to their own wedding, and the feeling of happiness that had overwhelmed him as she approached. She looked just as beautiful today in the periwinkle blue bridesmaid dress as she had in her own wedding gown, and the smile on her face was just as bright and mesmerizing. 

He took his eyes off of her for a few seconds as he looked to the second row of folding chairs which had been set up in Marco’s flower garden. Mary Margaret’s mother and father were there, wrangling ten-month-old Joshua, who had a hard time sitting still for five minutes at a time. David didn’t envy his in-laws the job of keeping the little chatterbox quiet throughout the length of the wedding ceremony. When he looked back at his wife, he saw a twinkle in her eye that told him she was thinking the same thing. 

He heard the music change which signaled the appearance of the bride. While everyone else was watching Emma and her father making their way down the path, David looked over at his best friend to see his reaction, and wasn’t at all surprised to see Killian’s face turning a bit red. Leaning forward, he whispered, “Breathe, man.”

“I don’t think I can,” the groom said out of the corner of his mouth. “She literally takes my breath away.”

The closer Emma got, the more shallow Killian’s breathing became until David started mentally going through the steps of what to do if the groom fainted, should that become imperative. He hoped it wouldn’t, since he felt like that would be going far beyond the duties expected of him as the best man. 

Fortunately, the ceremony proceeded without the groom passing out, and soon David was handing over the wedding rings that he pulled from his jacket pocket. He listened to his friends make their pledges to one another, and then watched them slide the silver bands onto each other’s ring finger. Emma placed Killian’s on his right hand, which broke with tradition, but was a necessity in his case. 

When the pastor pronounced them husband and wife, David grinned and began to applaud as they shared their first kiss as a married couple. Then he linked his arm with Mary Margaret’s and followed the newlyweds back up the walkway, stopping to relieve Ava and Leo of their wiggling grandson, who was holding his arms out to his parents and demanding their attention. 

After pictures had been taken and everyone was settled at the tables for the meal, it was time for the matron-of-honor and best man to give their speeches. David listened to Mary Margaret deliver hers, and watched Emma wipe away tears at her friend’s heartfelt words. Then he stood to share his prepared thoughts. 

He cleared his throat, focused his attention on Killian, and began to speak. “I know it’s traditional for the best man to poke fun at the groom and tell embarrassing stories about him, but I’m not going to do that, if you don’t mind.” Killian gave a slight nod and David turned to face the crowd of people. 

“I met Killian when he was in my basic training class. Once he finally opened up to me a bit, I found out that he joined the Army because he had no family left. He had already lost his mother, brother and father. We lost touch with each other when I left the Army, and the next time I saw him, he was recovering from the injuries he received in an IED blast. To say his life has been filled with tragedy is an understatement.”

“I became friends with Emma through Mary Margaret, and have come to think of her as the sister I never had. She’s seen her fair share of sadness and pain in her life, as well.”

“We’re here today to celebrate the marriage of these two people who, despite what could have been devastating circumstances, have found happiness with each other. I once told Killian, ‘A man unwilling to fight for what he wants, deserves what he gets’, and I’ve been very proud to see him fight against the odds to be here today, ready to share his life with the woman he loves.”

“I am incredibly honored to be part of their special day and to call them my friends. My wish for you,” he said, turning to the couple whose eyes were both swimming with tears, “is that you have nothing but joy, laughter and happiness for the rest of your lives. Of course, the laughter part won’t be hard to come by, if you continue to be friends with that idiot Will Scarlett…”

“Oi! What did I do to deserve _that_ remark?” Will groused. A ripple of laughter passed through the crowd. Emma hid her giggles behind her hand, as Killian grinned and shook his head. 

David grabbed his glass of champagne and raised it. “Here’s a toast to one of the best couples I know, besides my wife and I, of course! May all your dreams come true, and may you live happily ever after!”

Shouts of “Hear! Hear!” rang out as everyone joined in the toast. Emma and Killian each took a sip of champagne before sharing another sweet and tender kiss to the sound of everyone’s silverware gently tapping against the glasses, as they basked in the glow of being newly married and ecstatically happy, something that neither of them ever thought was possible before devastation brought them together. 

********* 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you haven't gotten tired of this story yet! I have plans for at least one more outtake, but I won't count out more than that.


	5. Outtake #5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma and Killian get an unexpected surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you stand two outtakes in one week? This one isn’t my fault. I had all intentions of cleaning my house yesterday, but this demanding little outtake kept knocking on my brain, insisting that I write it, and it wouldn’t shut up until I did! Those of you who write can totally relate to that, can’t you?

*********

When Killian came home from work and found Emma asleep on the couch for the third day in less than two weeks, he knew something had to be wrong. She usually arrived home after he did because she liked to stay and get all her paperwork in order, and preparations made for the patients she would have the next day. If she did get home before him, he would find her in the kitchen starting dinner. That’s the way it had been for almost three years of marriage. 

“Swan,” he crooned, still using her maiden name as his pet name for her. He brushed some stray strands of hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. “Emma, love. Wake up.”

“Hmm?” she murmured, beginning to rouse from her nap. Her green eyes blinked open and she smiled sleepily, as she looked into the concerned face of her husband. 

“Sweetheart, are you feeling alright?” he asked, nudging her to move slightly so he could slip down onto the sofa beside her. He encouraged her to lay her head in his lap, and stroked her silky hair, while his eyes searched her face for any sign of pain or discomfort. 

“I’m fine, Babe. I’ve just been kind of tired the last few days. No need to worry.”

“I do worry, though. Perhaps you should cut back a patient or two. You’ve been working too hard.”

Emma sat up and turned to look at him. “I’m not working any harder than I ever have.”

“Well, maybe you’ve always overworked and it’s beginning to catch up with you.”

A flash of anger shot through her, and she pushed herself to her feet to look down at him. “Don’t tell me how to do my job, Killian! I’ve been doing it long enough to know what my work load should be!”

Overcoming his shock at her outburst, Killian stood too, and looked her in the eyes while his jaw ticked. “I’m just trying to look out for your well-being. There’s no reason for you to get defensive.”

“Then back off, okay? I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself!” She stalked off toward the bedroom and Killian watched her go, confused at what had just happened. She’d never spoken to him like that in all the years he’d known her, and he’d _always_ been a bit overprotective when it came to her health. 

He moved into the kitchen to begin preparing dinner, and soon he heard the front door open and close again. When he looked around the corner, he noticed Evie’s leash was gone, and assumed Emma had taken their little dog for a walk. That surprised him too, since she always let him know before she went out, even if it was just to the nearby park. 

Dinner was a silent affair, and soon afterwards, Emma headed off to the bedroom, telling Killian that she wanted to do some reading. He stayed in the living room, restlessly flipping through channels on the television. When he finally gave up, brushed his teeth, and went off to bed a couple of hours later, he found his wife asleep, with her reading glasses still perched on her nose, and a book laying open on her chest. He carefully removed both, then rearranged the pillows behind her head so she was in a better sleeping position. 

“I love you, Emma,” he whispered, leaving a lingering kiss to her hairline. 

She stirred and her eyes opened a crack. “I’m sorry, Killian,” she rasped. “I don’t know why I got so angry.” A tear trickled down her cheek and he brushed it away with his fingertips. 

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m just concerned about you.” He sat down beside her on the bed and took her hand in his, stroking his thumb over her knuckles. 

“I know. To be honest, I’m a little concerned, too. I haven’t been feeling quite myself the last few weeks. Besides being so tired, I’ve been more emotional than usual. It seems like every little thing gets to me, and either makes me cry or makes me unreasonably angry. I really _am_ sorry that I went off on you like that.”

“All is forgiven, Love. Having a disagreement now and then is part of being married. Just don’t make a habit of it, yeah?” he said with a grin. 

“I definitely won’t. I _hated_ the way it made me feel afterwards. You were just trying to help. You didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”

He brought her hand to his lips and brushed a kiss to the back of it. “Perhaps you should make a doctor’s appointment to put our minds at ease. You haven’t been in for your physical yet this year, have you?” 

“No, not yet. I should have gone in last month, but I haven’t gotten around to scheduling it. I’ll call tomorrow.”

“Good.” He stood up and kissed the crown of her head, then went to his dresser to get a pair of pajama pants. After changing quickly, he slid between the sheets and scooted over towards his wife. “Good night, Love,” he said, caressing her cheek before pressing his lips to hers.

“Good night, Killian. I love you. Thanks for putting up with me.”

He chuckled. “Oh, Sweetheart. It’s the easiest thing in the world to do, even on your worst days!” He kissed her again, then let her turn over and get comfortable before he wrapped his arm around her and settled himself against her back. 

*********

Emma was able to get a mid-afternoon doctor’s appointment at the end of the following week. Killian wanted to go along, but his wife assured him that he didn’t need to take off work to go to a routine physical with her. 

When he got a text from her an hour before his workday ended, he checked it immediately, expecting it to say that everything was fine. Instead, his heart started racing when he saw the words, “ _Can you please come home right now?”_

He shut his computer down in record time, stopped in his boss’s office to tell him he was leaving, and took off running to his truck. As soon as it was parked in their driveway, he jumped out and sped into the house, not even taking the time to close the door of the vehicle. 

He found Emma sitting in the recliner with a dazed look on her face. She had barely registered that her husband was home before he was kneeling on the floor in front of her. 

“What is it, Love? What did the doctor say?”

She sat forward in the chair and raised trembling hands to frame his face. Killian swallowed heavily, not sure he wanted to hear what she had to say. The fact that she’d called him home early and appeared to be in a slight state of shock, had him thinking the appointment had been anything but routine. 

“He said...that I’m pregnant.”

The words hung between them for several moments as Killian processed what his wife had just told him. Then at last, he realized that what she’d disclosed wasn’t _bad_ news, as he had feared, but the _best_ news he’d ever heard in his life. A smile slowly stretched across his face and he stood and pulled her to her feet, gathering her into his arms.

“Truly, Emma?” he laughed. “We’re going to be parents?”

Emma took a step back and pulled his hand down to place it on her abdomen. “We already are. There’s a baby in here, Killian! _Our_ baby!”

“How far along are you?”

“The doctor can’t be sure until I get some more bloodwork done, but based on what I told him, probably about six to eight weeks. I think that would put my due date around March.”

He pulled her toward him again, and captured her lips in a kiss that had their tears mixing together on their lips. She giggled happily as he began peppering kisses all over her face, in between his repeated declarations of “I love you!” 

Then he dropped to his knees, unzipped her khakis, and nuzzled his nose into her belly. “I love you, too, little one, and I promise to be the best daddy I can be for you.” 

Emma ran her hands through his dark hair as tears continued to stream down her face. She couldn’t imagine _ever_ being happier than she was at that very moment. 

*********

Later, they lay on the sofa, wrapped around each other as they talked. The news probably shouldn’t have taken them by surprise. They’d decided several months earlier that Emma would go off the pill to try natural birth control, although they agreed they would be fine with it if she did become pregnant. The only problem with abstaining during a certain time of the month had been that, even after over four years together, they still couldn’t keep their hands, or any other part of their bodies, off of each other. 

“I can’t believe I didn’t figure it out,” Emma said. “I mean, the signs were all there - fatigue, crazy emotions, sore boobs, no appetite. I just didn’t put it all together. I’m sure if I told Mary Margaret how I’ve been feeling, she would have figured it out right away, especially since she’s been through it twice now.”

“Have you had any morning sickness?” he asked, as he rubbed his fingers in small circles over her belly. “If you have, you’ve hidden it pretty well.”

“No, I haven’t had any, but the doctor said that’s not unusual. He said not everybody has it, or sometimes it doesn’t show up until later in the pregnancy. It’s not always limited to the morning, either. It can be anytime during the day...or night.”

“When do you go back to the doctor?”

“I made another appointment for two weeks from today. We should be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat and get some sonogram pictures at that one.”

“Can I come with you?”

“Absolutely! I want you at _all_ of them, if you want to come.”

“Oh, I definitely want to!” 

She twisted her head around to look at him. “In another ten weeks or so, we’ll be able to find out the gender. Do you think you want to know?”

Killian looked thoughtful as he moved his hand to twist a strand of her hair around his finger. “I’m not sure I do. How about you?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, and I think I’d like to be surprised. I know some people like to find out so they can decorate the nursery and buy clothes, but I’m not big on doing ‘boy’ colors or ‘girl’ colors. I’d like to keep things neutral, you know what I mean?”

“I do, and I agree. So, no gender reveal party, then?”

“No, but I was thinking we could have a ‘pregnancy reveal’ party. Our third anniversary is coming up. Maybe we could have a party for that, and announce it to everyone then. What do you think?”

“I think I married a bloody brilliant woman, who is going to be an absolutely amazing mother.” His grin matched hers, before he dipped his head to start another round of loving kisses.

*********

The party took place a little over three weeks later in Emma and Killian’s backyard. Mary Margaret and David were enjoying a child-free evening, as Grandma and Grandpa Blanchard were keeping Joshua and sixteen-month-old Paul overnight. Graham Humbert was helping Killian grill hamburgers, while his live-in girlfriend Ruby carried bags of chips out of the house to set on the long serving table. 

Will Scarlett was busy getting everything that his wife Belle requested, since she was in the seventh month of her pregnancy, and had finally gotten comfortable on a padded patio chair. They’d had their gender reveal party a couple of months earlier, at which the guests had gotten a double surprise when they announced they were having twin boys. Killian had been impressed with how calm his friend was when the announcement was made, but later found out that he’d fainted when the doctor gave them the news. 

Ashley and Thomas chatted with August and Claire, while Marco insisted on helping Emma in the kitchen. Once the potato salad, baked beans and pans of brownies had been added to the food table, along with the hamburgers, buns and all the condiments, everyone piled their plates high and found a seat around the patio table or in one of the lawn chairs. 

After they had all eaten their fill and were sitting around rubbing their full bellies, Killian and Emma stood up to address their guests. 

“We wanted to invite all of you to help us celebrate our anniversary tonight, because each one of you had such a special part in our wedding,” Emma explained. “We also wanted to give you a gift in celebration of that day, and all the days that Killian and I have shared together since then.”

Her husband reached under the table and pulled out a basket with several small, square gift boxes in it. “We’ve gotten all of you the same gift, so please wait to open them until we tell you, so no one misses out on the surprise.” 

He and Emma moved among their friends and family, handing out the gifts. Then they grasped each other’s hand, shared a significant look, and announced, “Open them!”

Gasps were heard once the lids were removed. The couple had made copies of the sonogram picture that was taken at their appointment the previous week. In it, the baby looked like it was waving. Emma and Killian had added caption stickers that said, “Hi Grandpa!” “Hi Uncle August and Aunt Claire!” “Hi Aunt Mary Margaret and Uncle David!” and so on for all of his or her other honorary aunts and uncles. 

As soon as everyone realized what they were holding, the yard erupted with cheers to the point that Killian worried the police would be called for violation of the noise ordinance. 

Mary Margaret was the first to get to Emma and she hugged her so tightly, Emma began to turn red. “Mind the babe, M’s,” Killian reminded her, at which their friend turned to him and hugged him just as tightly. 

Emma scanned the yard to find her father, who was still sitting in a chair, gazing at the grainy black and white photo. She walked over and knelt down beside him. 

“Do you know what you’re looking at, Dad?”

“From what I gather, you’re expecting a baby! Is this a picture of it?”

“It is! It’s called a sonogram. We’ll have more of them as my pregnancy progresses, and it’ll be easier to tell what the baby looks like in those. This one is a little difficult to see because he or she is still very tiny. Let me help you.”

Scooting over beside him, she traced her finger over the photo. “This is the head, here is its spine, and these are his or her little arms and legs. Look - the baby is waving at you!” She wrapped her arm around his shoulders. “What do you think, Grandpa?”

Marco peeled his tear-filled eyes away from the picture to look at his daughter. “Oh, my dear girl, I am _thrilled_ for you and Killian, and for this sweet child!”

After shaking everyone’s hand, Killian looked over to see his wife and her father embracing. His eyes got a little misty as he watched the two of them, and listened to everyone around him chattering excitedly. He couldn’t help thinking about how lucky and blessed his child was to have so many people who loved him or her so much already. 

And when Penny Liann was born six months later, Emma proved herself wrong. She actually _could_ be even happier than she was on the day they found out she was pregnant.

********* 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now my muse has been satisfied (for a little while, at least!) I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks for reading!


	6. Outtake #6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma & Killian's wedding night and honeymoon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The rating changes on this one because, well it's their wedding night and honeymoon! I have planned on writing this outtake for quite a while, and I don't know if it will be the last one or not. These characters keep talking to me and it's rude not to listen!  
> Thanks to Mary for her suggestions of places for the newlyweds to visit on their honeymoon, including the rope bridge. After I admitted my terror of bridges, we decided to work it into the story.  
> Thanks to Kym for sending me numerous pictures to choose a jumpsuit for Emma, and for adding important accent marks that can only be added on computers in England, apparently!  
> Thanks to Saj for doing several work sprints with me to help me finish my schoolwork and still give me time to write.  
> Thanks (I guess!) to Krystal for 'encouraging' me to add the second scene that required the change in the rating. She's a bad influence! (Or a good influence, depending on your POV!)  
> And finally, thanks to the ladies on Discord for all the writing sprints.

*********

The wedding and reception were over, and the newly married couple was in the car on their way home. Killian and Emma had discussed staying at a hotel for their wedding night, but their little rented home held so many fond memories for them, they’d decided to spend the night there to add even more. They left Evie with Marco, since they would be leaving on their honeymoon early Tuesday morning. 

As Killian maneuvered Emma’s car up the interstate, his wife was scrolling through the pictures on her phone. She had given it to Belle to record some special moments, and she could already see that their friend had taken her assignment seriously. There were several wonderful ones of the ceremony, and many more from the meal and dancing that took place afterwards. The photos included candid shots of their guests, as well as the couple themselves. 

Killian glanced over to see a broad smile on his bride’s face, which was lit up by her phone screen in the dim interior of the car. “Did Belle get some good ones, Love?” he asked, fixing his eyes back on the road. 

“They’re fantastic - I can’t wait to show them to you! I’m sending some of my favorites to your phone. Wait until you see the pics of Will, David, August, Graham, Rob and you doing that kick line. They’re hysterical!” 

“I was forced to do that,” he grumbled. “It wasn’t my idea!”

Emma laughed. “You had fun and you know it! This whole day and evening were so much fun! I’m glad Belle was able to capture so much of it.”

“Well, I have a feeling this _night_ will be even more fun, but I hope you didn’t ask her to take pictures of _it_ , too!” 

She swatted playfully at his arm. “No, I didn’t, wise guy! Just videos!” she smirked. 

Killian barked out a laugh before looking over at her fondly. “I’m glad today was everything you dreamed it would be, Sweetheart.”

“Being married to you is my dream, Killian. The rest was just icing on the cake.”

He smiled. “Speaking of which, the cake was good, too. Ruby’s grandmother did a great job making it.”

“Yeah, Granny’s cakes are the best. I forgot to ask - were you able to get all the frosting out of your nose?” she giggled.

“You thought you were so funny, smashing that piece in my face. Now you’ll have to experience some payback when I get you home!”

“Don’t make promises you don’t intend to keep!” she singsonged, making her husband growl in response. 

“Oh, I have every intention of keeping them, my love!” 

Emma laughed again, then sighed. “I wish we were back already. It was a great day, but I’m just ready to be home with you in our bed.”

“I know what you mean, but I’m not sure I’ll be able to wait long enough to make it to the bed. I’ve been aching for you all day, seeing you in that gorgeous dress and looking so perfect. It didn’t help when you changed into that...that…” he waved his hand, indicating the sexy outfit she’d put on before they left her father’s place. 

“It’s called a jumpsuit, Babe,” she giggled. 

“Whatever the bloody hell it’s called, it’s too damn tempting! I can’t wait to get you out of it and properly consummate our marriage!”

She turned slightly in her seat and rested her head against the back of it to look fully at her husband. “Hearing you say that isn’t making this long car ride any easier,” she said, reaching over to run her hand along the inside of his thigh. 

“Swan,” he warned, through gritted teeth. “Unless you want to spend our wedding night in a steamy car along the side of the highway, you’ve got to stop doing that!” 

Emma grinned, but pulled her hand back. “I think you’ve forgotten that my name is Jones now.”

“And I’m more than proud of that fact, but I don’t think I’ll be able to break the habit of calling you Swan.”

“I really don’t want you to. I’ve always loved it when you call me that.”

The rest of the ride home was spent discussing all the events of the day, as they imprinted them into their shared memories. 

********* 

They were, in fact, able to make it to the bed, as Killian carried his bride across the threshold of their house and all the way back to their bedroom. His task wasn’t made easier by Emma, who was licking around the shell of his ear and nibbling on the lobe.

As soon as he was close enough, he dropped her unceremoniously onto the bed and caged her in with his arms. “Now you’re going to pay for all the teasing you’ve done today, minx!” he growled, and she erupted into a fit of giggles. 

He grasped her hand to pull it above her head and heard the metallic clink of their wedding rings hitting together. The sound served to remind him that they were now _officially_ husband and wife, and he wondered if it was physically possible for his heart to burst from happiness. 

He slowly licked a stripe up her slender neck, and her laughter turned to moans of pleasure. His hand traveled down the length of her arm and around to her back, where he found laces fastening the top of the black jumpsuit. He continued using his tongue as a distraction, and began tugging the strings loose. 

Emma’s other hand sneaked under the tail of Killian’s button down shirt and worked its way up his side, tracing his muscles and spreading out across his back. She turned her head to the side in order to give him more access to her throat and collarbone. 

After the laces were untied, Killian gently pushed the spaghetti straps off her shoulders and peeled the fabric down to discover a lacy, strapless, powder blue bra that barely concealed her glorious breasts. 

“Mmm, I like this,” he murmured, nosing at her cleavage. 

“I needed something blue,” she explained breathlessly. 

He ran his tongue along the edges of the flimsy garment as she squirmed and gasped beneath him. He sucked at her already pebbled nipples through the lace while his fingers made quick work of unfastening the hooks in back. Once they were undone, he removed the bra, and set to work sucking, nipping and stroking her breasts in earnest. 

Emma was in such a state of bliss, she had to force herself to try to rid her husband of his offending clothing. She used both hands to fumble with his belt, and cursed when she couldn’t get the buckle undone. 

“And you _kiss_ me with that mouth?” Killian chuckled against her hardened nipple. 

“Damn right I do,” she answered, proving it by placing her hands on either side of his face and turning it up to hers. Her tongue thrust into his mouth before he could even think about granting her permission, and it was his turn to moan as she plundered its depths while pulling him down on top of her. 

Emma finally managed to undo a few buttons of her husband’s shirt and yanked it over his head. Then she helped him slip out of his prosthesis and placed it on the nightstand. Her hands started roaming up and down his chest, and over the strong muscles of his arms. 

“I love your body,” she told him. “You are so sexy, I can hardly keep my hands off of you.” 

“Why would you want to do that?” he asked, then groaned as she worked her hands down inside the back of his pants to squeeze his ass. 

“Trust me, I don’t,” she gasped. Growing frustrated at the clothing that was still between them, she flipped them over on the bed and bent to undo his belt and loosen his pants. As soon as the zipper was pulled down, she reached in with both hands and squeezed his stiff erection through his underwear. 

“Gods, Emma!” he panted. He scrambled to try to rid her of the rest of her jumpsuit, but he was so worked up by now that he couldn’t get his hand to cooperate. Emma sensed his impatience, and pulled away to climb off the bed. She slowly shimmied her outfit down her body as he watched with hooded eyes. She made a show of pushing it past her hips, then let it drop to the floor, leaving her in only a pair of lace underwear that matched her discarded bra. 

Knowing she had him as her captive audience, Emma threw her head back and ran her hands up her body, stopping to squeeze her breasts and pinch her nipples. She bit her lip and let out a long, throaty moan. 

Her little act had the desired effect. Killian quickly slid off the bed and knelt in front of her, gripping her hips. He lowered his head and inhaled her scent before sucking the soaked fabric into his mouth. He could feel her legs quivering around him and he sucked harder, reaching underneath to push the scrap of material aside and drag his finger through the evidence of her arousal. He slipped it inside her warmth, and added another as she widened her stance. Slowly, he slid his digits in and out again and again, changing the speed and the angle as her gasped utterances urged him on. 

Just as she thought her shaky legs wouldn’t be able to hold her up anymore, Killian rubbed his thumb over her bundle of nerves and his fingers curled inside her, finding her g-spot. Emma gripped his hair tightly and loudly moaned his name, as she felt her spasming muscles throbbing around his fingers. 

Killian caught her before she collapsed from the force of her orgasm. He lifted her back onto the bed and worked her underwear down her legs, then finished removing the rest of his clothes while she started to come down from her high. 

When she opened her eyes again, it was to see him looking down at her lovingly. Her hands started roaming again, enjoying the fact that there were no longer any barriers between their bodies. Killian was occupied with running his tongue along the column of her throat and licking around the shell of her ear, while she caressed and squeezed all the skin she could reach on his back and buttocks. 

He sought friction by rubbing his rigid member along her thigh, which soon proved not to be enough for his wife. She shifted to put a little space between them, and reached down to wrap her hands around him. The feeling of her slowly stroking her hands up and down his shaft caused him to throw his head back and bite his lip. “Emma, Love! You’re...that...shit! You’re driving me crazy!”

She buried her nose in the juncture of his neck and shoulder and sucked on the skin under his collarbone. “Then why don’t you do something about it?” she teased. 

Killian used his legs to spread hers apart, settling himself between them. She could feel the tip of his cock at her entrance, so she guided it to where she wanted it and began rubbing it against her clit. He growled and reached down to slap her hands away, then took over the job she had started. With every stroke, he heard her breath hitch and saw her rolling her head from side to side. Her hands moved to begin plucking at her breasts again. 

“Killian, pleeeease…” she begged. “I need you!”

“I _did_ promise you payback, Sweetheart,” he breathed into her ear. “Perhaps I should keep you waiting a bit longer.”

Her eyes popped open and locked onto his, then her hands moved up to grasp his face. “You want this...as much...as I do!” she told him in a ragged voice. Then her hands slid down his back to grab his ass again. “Now, please, please get inside me!”

Killian chuckled darkly before reaching down between them, gathering some of her slickness on his fingers to lubricate himself. “As you wish, my love,” he uttered, then slid into her welcoming heat. He felt her shudder as he held still for a few moments to get himself under control. They always fit together so perfectly, as if they were truly made just for one another.

When he finally started to move, Emma bent her knees and drew her feet up beside his thighs, pulling him in even deeper. He groaned and hooked his arms under her knees to lift her hips off the bed, then scooted his own knees underneath himself. Her breath caught as she adjusted to the new angle, and her hands fisted into the sheets, scrambling to find something to hold onto. He kept his thrusts slow and even to stretch out their pleasure as long as possible. 

After several thoroughly enjoyable minutes, he looked down at his wanton love, with her eyes closed and her mouth open in a continuous string of gasps and moans. His pace quickened as he felt a tingling at the base of his spine, signaling his oncoming orgasm. He dropped both of them back down to the bed to add a grind to her pelvic bone on every thrust, and soon Emma shattered around him. 

“Ki...Ki…Kil…” He could tell she was trying to say his name, but her mouth seemed unable to form coherent words. Her walls were squeezing him, and he was helpless to do anything but join her in her bliss. Streams of his seed shot deep within her and he collapsed, feeling the aftershocks rattle through their bodies. 

They laid entangled for several minutes, both trying to catch their breath and feel their bones again. At last, Killian raised himself up on shaking arms and smiled at his bride, whose eyes were barely open, but who had a sated smile on her face. 

“I love you,” she said, running her hands up and down his shoulders and biceps. 

“I love you too, Emma. You’re the most beautiful woman God ever created, and I’m the luckiest man alive to be able to call you my wife.” He dipped his head to place a series of sweet kisses on her lips, cheeks, and forehead. Then he withdrew slowly, and rolled off of her.

Emma turned on her side and propped herself up on an elbow, reaching over with her other hand to push her husband’s messy hair out of his eyes. “We’re married,” she whispered. “I can hardly believe it, Killian. After all we’ve been through, I never thought we’d ever get to this point and be this happy.”

“I know what you mean, Love.” He opened his arms and she eagerly accepted his invitation to snuggle into his chest. She felt it rumble beneath her cheek as he continued to speak. “I’ll be grateful every day for you, and for our life together.” 

*********

When Emma awoke the next morning, she felt Killian’s warm body against her back, and his arm around her waist. His breath tickled the back of her neck, and his legs were tangled in between hers. They almost always fell asleep in this position, but usually moved in their sleep and were on opposite sides of the bed by morning. The fact that they were still intertwined spoke to how exhausted they were by the time they finally gave in to slumber. 

She sighed happily and stretched her left hand out in front of her so she could see the rings which now sat permanently on her finger, while memories of the previous day danced through her mind. It had been a perfect wedding day _and_ night - one that she would never forget. Although the two of them had been living together for a year, being married had somehow added another level of intimacy to their lovemaking. 

Killian stirred behind her and tugged her closer. “Good morning, wife,” he mumbled in her ear, making a shiver go down her spine. 

“Mmmm, hello husband,” she replied, flipping over to see his beautiful blue eyes gazing at her. 

“Did you have sweet dreams?”

“Mmhmm. I dreamed I married an extremely handsome and amazing man.”

“Did you, now?” he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“Yes, and the best part was, when I woke up, my dream had come true!”

Her husband grinned sleepily and pressed his lips to hers for a brief kiss, then she wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled into his chest. 

“What shall we do today, my love?”

“I’m pretty content right here. I say we leave this bed only when it’s necessary.”

“I like the way you think, Sweetheart. We can actually do that for the next two days since we don’t leave for our honeymoon until Tuesday.”

She pulled back and looked at him. “Speaking of which, isn’t it about time you finally tell me where we’re going? I _do_ need to pack, you know!” 

He grinned. “Ireland, Swan. We’re going to Ireland.”

The playful smile faded from her face as disbelief widened her eyes. “You’re taking me to Ireland?” she whispered. 

He gave a slight nod. “Aye.” When her silence stretched on for a while longer, he began to grow uncertain. “It’s still on your list of places you want to see, isn’t it? You know, the one you told me about on our first date?”

Emma cleared her throat and blinked a few times. “Y-yes, but I just...I never...oh, Killian!” She threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely. “I can’t believe we’re going to Ireland!”

Killian chuckled in relief. “I take it you like the idea?”

“I LOVE it! And I never had a clue that’s what you had planned, although I’m not sure that’s such a good thing. If you’re this good at keeping secrets from me…”

“Just this one, Love. I promise I won’t keep secrets from you, unless it’s a special surprise that I’ll eventually reveal.”

“Have you told anyone else where we’re going?”

“Your father knows because I had to ask him if you have a passport. He said you had gotten one before your junior year in college because you thought you might study abroad for a semester.”

“Yeah, but I decided against it so I could save money. Now I’m glad I waited because the first stamp in it will be from our honeymoon!” 

Killian could feel her literally quivering with excitement. “I’ll show you the itinerary after we get something to eat. I don’t know about you, but I’m famished!”

“So am I. It seems like ages ago since we ate at the reception.”

They made a simple breakfast of eggs, toast and fruit, which they loaded onto a tray along with two mugs of coffee, and carried back to their bedroom. Killian insisted that they enjoy their first meal as a married couple in their bed, and he got no argument from his wife. 

After eating, they shared what ended up being a much longer shower than expected due to engaging in pleasurable activities, then cuddled together on the sofa as Killian showed Emma what he had planned for their trip. 

When the pictures of the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge popped up on the tablet as one of the attractions he had included in the itinerary, she swallowed hard. “Umm, Babe, there’s something you need to know about me.”

“What’s that, Love?”

“I, uh, I’m _petrified_ of bridges that go over water. Just looking at these pictures is making me feel a bit queasy.”

“I’m sorry, Sweetheart! I had no idea.” He took the tablet from her hands and deleted the page. “There, no more bridges, and I learned something new about you today.”

“Yeah, that I’m a big chicken!” 

“No, that you have fears like every other human being on the planet. I already told you I’m afraid of clowns. They are bloody menaces!”

Emma giggled, then grew serious. “Will you take me to the town where you grew up?” she asked, stroking her hand over his stubbled jaw. “I’d love to learn more about your beginnings.”

“Aye. I’m curious to see how much it’s changed. I thought we could spend a couple of days there. That should be enough time to see the town and to visit…” He trailed off. 

“Your mother’s grave?” she asked quietly. 

He nodded. “I haven’t been back to it since the day of her funeral. She would have adored you, Emma. She always wanted her boys to be happy more than anything in the world, and knowing that you’re the main source of my happiness would most certainly endear you to her.”

She leaned up and gave him a sweet kiss. “I wish I could have met her and thanked her for giving birth to the love of my life.” At his melancholy smile, she gave him another kiss, then looked back down at the tablet in her hand and continued asking him more questions, as she compiled a list of things she needed to pack. 

*********

Two days later, they left on their honeymoon. They spent ten days exploring the Emerald Isle - hiking the rolling hills, sightseeing, shopping, and watching surfers on the beach. 

Emma’s favorite part was the two days at the beginning of the trip when Killian showed her around the small town where he grew up. She wasn’t sure how he was going to react since not all of his memories from that time of his life were pleasant, but he happily took her to his former schools, the church his family attended, places where he and Liam liked to go, and the neighborhood of his childhood. 

When they stood in front of the house where he spent the first thirteen years of his life, Emma could tell that Killian was fighting back a myriad of emotions. She wrapped her arms around his waist to share her strength with him, and he smiled down at her, knowing exactly what she was doing. 

“Do you want to knock on the door to see if the owners will let you look through the house?” she asked. 

He hesitated for a long moment, then replied, “No, I don’t think so. I’d rather remember it the way it was when we lived here.”

Emma nodded her understanding. They remained there for a few minutes longer before he murmured, “I’m ready.” She somehow knew he was talking about more than moving on from the home that was making him feel so nostalgic. 

They climbed into their rental car, and Killian glanced over at his wife with a questioning look. She reached over to take hold of his prosthesis, since she was on his left side in the reversed set-up of the car. “Are you okay, Babe?”

He cleared his throat. “Aye. It’s time to go visit my mum.” Lifting her hand to his lips, he brushed a kiss across the back of it, then turned the key in the ignition. 

After nearly twenty minutes of driving along winding roads, Killian parked outside the entrance to a small, unkempt cemetery. They walked hand in hand among the rows of tombstones toward a large oak tree. 

“My father chose a plot under that tree especially for her. She always liked to sit and read under the shade of a tree whenever she felt well enough to be outside. I remember Liam and I leaning against her sides as she read to us, even though she tired easily and couldn’t do it for very long. I regret that I wasn’t able to have my father buried beside her when he died. I just didn’t have the funds to bring him back here. He and Liam are side-by-side, but Mum is here alone. I mean, I know it’s only her earthly remains, but it still bothers me.” 

“They’re all together for eternity, Killian, and that’s what matters.” He gave her a grateful smile. 

As they got closer to his mother’s final resting place, Killian’s pace slowed and his grip on Emma’s hand tightened. He stopped in front of a small, simple headstone that stated his mother’s name along with the dates of her birth and death, and knelt down to pull a few weeds from around the base of it. Straightening up, he took Emma’s hand once again and turned briefly to give her a weak smile. Then he swallowed thickly and began to speak. 

“Hi, Mum. It’s me, your Little Boy Blue. I’m sorry I haven’t come to visit you before this, but I want you to know not a day goes by that I don’t think of you and miss you.”

He paused, and Emma squeezed his hand. “I’ve brought my wife Emma with me today, Mum. We’re here on our honeymoon. I wish you could have gotten the chance to meet her because I know the two of you would’ve hit it off. She’s brilliant and beautiful, and I love her beyond words.”

“I just wanted to tell you that I’m very happy, and I hope you are, too. I know you, Dad and Liam will always be with me, but you don’t have to worry. I’ve faced some challenges, but I made it through, and I’m stronger now because of them. Emma and I have a wonderful life together, one that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

He dropped Emma’s hand to reach out and trace over his mother’s name cut into the stone, as Emma wiped away tears. After he brought his fingers to his lips, then touched them to the top of the tombstone, Killian stepped back and slipped his arm around his wife’s waist. 

“Goodbye, Mum. I’ll always try to make you proud of me. I’ll love you forever.” 

The couple turned and walked back to the car. “Thank you for bringing me here, Killian,” Emma said softly.

He cupped her face in his hand. “Thank _you_ for being here for me, Emma.” Leaning in, he gave her a sweet kiss, then touched his forehead to hers for several seconds before opening the door so she could slide in.

Killian had known his wife would understand just how much sharing his past with her meant, since her tender heart was always open to him. He started the car and pulled out onto the road, content in the knowledge that they had their entire future ahead of them. 

*********

During the rest of their trip, the newlyweds visited interesting and awe-inspiring places such as Giant’s Causeway, Guinness Storehouse, Dublin Castle, and the Moher Cliffs. Every day, they found restaurants and pubs that served food which reminded Killian of the meals his parents cooked for him and his brother. 

With every passing day, Emma felt closer to her husband as they toured the country where he was born and spent the first decade of his life. She noticed that when he spoke with the local people, his accent was more pronounced, which she found to be very sexy. 

They spent each night in a cozy bed and breakfast or luxurious hotel, and christened every room with their passion. Neither of them could imagine a more perfect honeymoon. 

Emma chose an inn for the final night of their trip. It was in a small town on the outskirts of Dublin, which put them close to the airport for their flight the next morning. They ate a meal of Irish comfort food in the restaurant downstairs, took a stroll along the quiet streets, then retired to their comfortable room. 

Killian was laying on the bed, clad only in his boxer briefs, when his wife emerged from the bathroom. His eyes widened comically as he took in her form. She was wearing a strapless black lace corset with hook and eye closures down the length of the front. It pushed her breasts up enticingly, and Killian licked his lips at the sight. 

“Do you like it?” Emma purred, then revealed the pièce de résistance when she slowly turned to show him the back of the lingerie. It featured a criss-crossed ribbon lacing up the back, and the matching thong revealed the perfect globes of her backside. 

She craned her neck to look at him over her shoulder, and was smugly satisfied at the stunned look on his face. Her eyes traveled downwards and was even more excited to see the effect it was having on another part of his body. 

Killian was staring with wide eyes and a hungry expression. His mouth opened and closed a few times before he was finally capable of speaking. “Bloody hell, Emma!” he rasped, his voice deepened with desire. “Are you trying to give me a heart attack?” He crawled across the bed on his hands and knees to get closer to his siren of a wife. 

“Why have you been hiding this?” he asked. His fingers reached out to trace the ribbon holding the garment together, which accented her curves deliciously. 

“I wanted to save something special for the last night of our honeymoon, since I knew it would be bittersweet.”

“So. Damn. Sexy.” He dropped his hand down to caress her firm butt cheek, and felt the goose bumps rising on her flesh. He stood from the bed and tried to adjust himself to get a bit more comfortable. 

Emma turned and gave her husband a light shove to knock him back down onto the end of the bed. Then she straddled his lap and fused her lips to his, while roughly running her hands through his hair. The sound of her moans filled the silence of the room, and Killian gasped as she rubbed herself against his hardness. 

“For fuck’s sake, Emma! You’re driving me…” He cut off as she suddenly arched her back and thrust her chest into his face. Tightening his hold to keep her from falling backwards, he buried his nose in the valley between her voluptuous breasts. 

“Can you...I want you to keep this on while I make love to you,” he muttered, as he sucked several marks into her skin. 

“Mmmm...whatever you want.” She lithely slid to the floor and grasped the waistband of his briefs. “But these have got to go.” As quickly as she could, she slid them down his legs, then looked up through her lashes. Without taking her eyes off of him, she slowly ran her tongue up his shaft and swirled it around the head. 

Killian leaned back, propping himself on his arms, as his head dropped back and he let out a string of curses. She took him into her mouth while her hands gripped his base and reached underneath to fondle him. Rising up on her knees, she took more of him in and bobbed her head up and down, the vibrations of her moans bringing him to the edge. 

Soon she felt his hands gripping her hair to hold her still. “Emma,” he panted, “You’ve got to stop, Love! I...I don’t want to spill down your throat. I want to...I _need_ to...be inside you.” 

Emma scrambled to her feet and quickly removed the thong, tossing it carelessly behind her. Once again, she straddled her husband, sliding her slickened flesh up and down his painfully hard erection. Just when he thought he couldn’t stand her teasing any longer, she put her hands on his shoulders, lifted herself up and sank down around him. 

His head fell forward onto her chest as he tried to hold on. He was thankful that she seemed to be doing the same since she didn’t begin to move right away. After both of them took several deep breaths, she started undulating her hips slowly and sensually. 

Killian thought he’d experienced every possible feeling in all the lovemaking he and Emma had shared, but now he discovered he was wrong. The way she was riding him while clothed in that lacy corset evoked sensations he never even knew existed. She threw her head back in ecstasy and gripped his shoulders tightly. Her gasps and utterances filled his ears as she writhed in his lap. Her warmth and wetness wrapped around him, and he knew he wouldn’t last much longer. 

“Emma, Emma, Emma,” he chanted, firmly grasping her hips and rising up off the bed as he exploded inside her. She shuddered and her thighs tightened around him as she followed him over the edge. 

He flopped back onto the mattress and pulled her down on top of him. His hand and wrist traced the lines of the corset as he struggled to regain his breath. His whole body quaked with aftershocks, and his eyes fell shut. 

After several minutes, he felt her hands moving over his face, tenderly caressing the scars on his left jawline and cheek as she so often did. He forced his leaden arms to move, encircling his love and pulling her more closely against him. 

“You never _did_ tell me if you liked my lingerie,” she teased. 

He growled deep in his throat. “I think you bloody well _know_ the answer to that, Sweetheart!”

She giggled against his chest and he pressed kisses into her silky hair. They lay quietly for a while and Killian thought perhaps she had dozed off, when suddenly she heaved a heavy sigh and propped her chin on his chest to look into his face. 

“As much as I’ve loved this trip, I think I’m ready to go home. It seems like we’ve been living in a fantasy word for two weeks, and I kind of want to know that this is actually our real life now.” 

He chuckled. “Aye, Love, I know what you mean. I’m happy we’ve had this opportunity to come to Ireland together, but I agree that it’s time to return. I have no doubt our real life is going to be just as wonderful as these days since our wedding have been, though.”

“I hope we can come back again sometime in the future, and maybe next time we can bring our kids.”

Killian quirked an eyebrow. “Do you anticipate that happening anytime soon?”

She shrugged. “Not really. I want to have you all to myself for a while. I mean, I’ll be happy if and when it does happen, but this will be the only time in our lives when it’s just the two of us. Well, three if you count Evie.”

He laughed. “That’s true, Love. To be honest, I’m looking forward to every phase of our life together, no matter how long each one may last. You and I have both spent too much of our lives alone, but now we’ll never have to experience that again, God willing.”

Emma nodded her agreement and yawned. “Mmmhmm, I agree.”

He nudged her to roll off of him. “I absolutely adore this outfit, my darling, but I don’t think it will be very comfortable for sleeping. Let’s get you cleaned up and changed because I can tell you’re fading.” 

They made a quick trip to the bathroom where Killian helped his wife out of the corset, and gently washed her and himself. They brushed their teeth, then he grabbed his white T-shirt off the hook on the back of the door and handed it to Emma so she could slide it over her body. He could see she was barely able to keep her eyes open, so he lifted her effortlessly and carried her to the bed. After settling her comfortably, he pulled his boxer briefs back on and climbed in behind her. 

Curling himself around her, he pulled her back against him and left a lingering kiss in her hair. “I love you tremendously, Emma.”

“I love you too, Killian. Goodnight,” she mumbled sleepily. 

The rest of their honeymoon was spent dreaming in each other’s arms. 

*********  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pictures of the jumpsuit Emma wore on the way home from the wedding, and the lingerie for the last night of their honeymoon can be seen on Tumblr.  
> Thanks for reading and commenting! It means so much that you're still reading additions to this story!


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